Find Your Balance in Sumba’s Nature: A Holistic Wellness Retreat and Spa, Designed for Rejuvenation and Healing
Apr 22, 2025
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At NIHI® Sumba, wellness is more than a getaway—it’s a journey into an “Edge of Wildness,” where unspoiled nature and refined luxury intertwine. Immerse yourself in a remote island sanctuary, where crashing waves and lush jungle set the tone for relaxation. From sunrise meditations to sunset swims, every experience here is mindfully designed to rejuvenate your body, renew your spirit, and reconnect you with life’s simplest joys. Enveloped by Sumba’s raw beauty, you’ll discover a sanctuary for the soul that inspires healing, adventure, and a profound sense of balance.
At NIHI Sumba, true wellness begins with forging an intimate connection with nature. Our Wild Wellness approach invites you to disconnect from the digital and reconnect with the elemental. Trek through scenic hills to hidden waterfalls, practice yoga in a beach front pavilion to the soundtrack of the ocean waves , or even meditate underwater amid the gentle ebb of the tide. Each activity is a pathway to awakening your primal self. In Sumba, nature isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a healing partner guiding you back to balance.
Experience an unforgettable fusion of remote peacefulness and world-class hospitality. At NIHI Sumba, luxury doesn’t mean distancing yourself from nature or culture; it means embracing them fully, in comfort and style. The result is a transformative retreat where you can be totally unbridled and profoundly pampered all at once.
Whether it’s a transformative wellness journey or a unique equine experience, our retreats invite you to be wild, be free, and, above all, be well.
Our Equine Retreats offer an experience that connects you with the island’s rich cultural traditions and the healing power of horses. Engage with the habituated Sumba horses, tapping into the deep, spiritual bond they share with the land, thus embarking on a journey of self-discovery and healing. Our retreats offer a personalized and enriching experience for riders of all levels, from beginners to experienced equestrians.
We invite you to embark on a transformative journey of healing and connection through our Equine Intuitive Awareness Retreat. Designed to awaken your senses and spirit, this immersive experience blends energy awareness sessions, meditation with horses, Reiki healing, and yoga alongside our soulful herd. The retreat nurtures both communal connection and introspective solitude, offering sacred time with Carol—known as NIHI’s original horse whisperer—whose wisdom will guide you gently inward.
Ideal for solo travelers, couples, or anyone navigating life’s transitions, this retreat is a call to reconnect with self through the silent power of the horse. For those seeking shared connection, our NIHI Travel Designers can thoughtfully pair guests for shared accommodations, cultivating new friendships along the way.
Upcoming Dates
Our next Equine Intuitive Awareness Retreat will take place 28 May 28th – June 2nd, 2025 and September 17th-22nd, 2025. (Additional retreat dates may be announced soon; please stay tuned to our Retreats page or contact us for the latest schedule.)
Price and Inclusions
Retreat packages begin at $6,450 USD per person for shared accommodation, $10,200 USD for single occupancy, and $12,900 USD per couple for double occupancy. Each package includes full retreat programming, luxury accommodations, and immersive experiences like a half-day Spa Safari, guided village tour, morning yoga, and an in-villa NIHI® Signature Massage. Enjoy curated dining moments—from a welcome cocktail and dinner with Carol Sharpe to a magical Dining Under the Stars farewell celebration. Guests will also receive a handcrafted Sumbanese horse miniature as a keepsake. Participants must be 18+ to attend.
Unlock your inner strength and leadership potential in our Untamed Resilience Retreat, a one-of-a-kind 7-day program that uses Sumba’s wilderness as a classroom for personal growth. Led by renowned explorer Nacho Dean (the first person to walk around the world and swim between all five continents), this retreat is crafted for visionaries, team leaders, and anyone craving a breakthrough in how they connect with others and themselves. By day, build resilience through physical challenges; by night, reflect under starry skies by the bonfire.
The Untamed Resilience Retreat is structured in transformative phases that build upon each other. Begin with “Discovery & Liberation,” shedding limiting beliefs amidst Sumba’s raw landscapes. Next comes “Development & Collaboration,” where team-building challenges foster trust, communication, and adaptive thinking. Finally, “Integration & Action” helps you translate these wilderness lessons into real-world strategies, creating an action plan to bring home. By the end of the week, expect to emerge with not only invigorated resilience but also a tangible “leadership blueprint” – and unforgettable memories of adventure and camaraderie.
The Untamed Resilience Retreat will take place October 18th-24th. (Additional retreat dates may be announced soon; please stay tuned to our website page or contact us for the latest schedule.)
The retreat is offered as a comprehensive package per villa to ensure utmost privacy and comfort. Single occupancy is priced at USD 14,500+ per villa, and if you wish to share the experience with a partner or friend, double occupancy is USD 16,000+ per villa. Each package includes a six-night stay in one of NIHI’s luxurious private villas with our standard inclusions, which means you’ll enjoy full gourmet dining, daily wellness activities, and all curated retreat excursions at no additional cost. We also provide complimentary round-trip flights from Bali (or Jakarta/Surabaya) to Sumba, as well as private ground transfers in our safari-style vehicle from Sumba’s airport to the resort. Once you arrive, every detail—from fresh coconut welcome drinks to a final farewell dinner—is taken care of.
Explore our exclusive collection of transformative retreats.
(Prices exclude 21% tax and service charge. Travel insurance with evacuation coverage is strongly recommended.)
At NIHI Sumba, the Nihioka Spa offers a wide range of luxurious treatments designed to rejuvenate both the body and mind. Nihioka is not just a spa, it’s a sacred escape for the soul, nestled on 100 acres of unspoiled beauty just 15 minutes from the main resort by car. With two beaches, a serene pool, and a horse stables for NIHI’s retired horses, every element invites you to slow down, reconnect, and breathe deeper. Open to outside guests, Nihioka invites you to connect with nature, with yourself, and with something far greater.
This 60-minute session is a blissful convergence of technology and ancient healing wisdom, designed to cleanse your body at a cellular level while you simply lie back and relax. In this soothing “sweat lodge” session, you’ll be cocooned in a special infrared sauna blanket that encourages a profound detoxification. As your muscles unwind and tensions melt away, a skilled therapist enhances the experience with light lymphatic massage techniques on your neck and face, helping to flush out toxins and improve circulation. Guests describe emerging this treatment feeling lighter, clearer, and re-energized—like hitting a reset button.
The session is priced at IDR 2,200,000+ (Indonesian Rupiah) per person.
This deeply hydrating 45-minute treatment is designed to soothe and repair sun-exposed skin. A cooling mask of aloe vera infused with chamomile is applied over the entire body, followed by a wrap of green banana leaves to draw out heat from the skin and tissues.
The Sun Kissed Body Wrap is priced at IDR 850 (Indonesian Rupiah) per person.
All treatments take place at the Nihioka Spa at NIHI Sumba. For a more private experience, you may also enjoy them in the comfort of your villa or at our ocean-view wellness bale above the boathouse.
Discover our full range of transformative spa experiences here.
At NIHI Sumba, we believe that healing is a dialogue between self and soul, place and presence. Throughout the year, we welcome a curated circle of visiting gurus: artisans, bodyworkers, movement sages, and visionaries whose life’s work is to unlock transformation through touch, technique, and creative expression. These masters offer guests something rare and deeply personal: intimate one-on-one sessions and immersive workshops that complement NIHI’s holistic ecosystem of wild wellness and refined restoration.
About Marie Hussein: Bodyworker and movement therapist with over 20 years of experience, offering Structural Integration, Scar Therapy, and Shaw Method Swimming.
Dates: April 25 – May 9, 2025, and September 1 – 17, 2025
About Tatsuya Hirakawa: Pioneering body conditioning therapist and founder of the Vousy method, focusing on performance conditioning and physical adaptability for elite performers.
Dates: April 28 – May 17, 2025
About Alex Scrimgeour: Practitioner specializing in bodywork therapies, offering sessions to promote physical well-being.
Dates: June 1 – 30, 2025
About Emilie Nyman: Osteopath providing treatments aimed at improving musculoskeletal health.
Dates: July 1 – 31, 2025
About Cody Wesseling: Performance therapist offering sessions designed to enhance physical performance and recovery.
Dates: August 1 – 31, 2025
Learn more about future visiting gurus.
At NIHI, food is more than nourishment—it’s a ritual woven into the rhythm of island life. Our culinary philosophy honors both wellness and indulgence, with each dish crafted as a tribute to the land and sea that surround us. Whether savoring ocean-fresh seafood at Ombak, wood-fired fare at Nio Beach Club, or the intimate omakase experience at Kaboku, every bite reflects the island’s soul and a global sense of sophistication.
Menus evolve with the seasons, spotlighting ingredients from our on-site organic gardens, along with produce, spices, and herbs sourced from neighboring villages. Fresh fish is delivered daily by local fishermen—or caught by guests themselves on guided fishing excursions. In close collaboration with our wellness team, our chefs design offerings that energize, heal, and delight—nourishing body, spirit, and palate alike.
Healing at NIHI is not a solitary endeavor—it is a shared unfolding. Communal dinners under the stars, group meditations led by visiting practitioners, and spontaneous conversations on surfboards or jungle trails become moments of human alchemy. By offering spaces where guests can gather, share, and reflect, we cultivate a sense of community that will empower you for a lifetime.
“My experience at NIHI Sumba was life-changing. The connection with nature, the personalized wellness treatments, and the sense of community made this retreat unforgettable.” – Sarah L., past guest
“The Equine Retreat was unlike anything I had ever experienced. The bond with the horses brought an unexpected level of healing and self-discovery.” – James M., past guest
Preparing Mentally and Physically for a Wellness Retreat
Before arriving at NIHI, we invite you to begin your journey inward. Set intentions for your time here. We recommend packing light, breathable clothing, sun protection, and any personal wellness tools that help you feel grounded. Above all, come with an open heart—ready to receive whatever this island has to offer you.
Connect with our Travel Designers to begin planning your stay in paradise. Book your retreat today.
Feel free to contact us if you need any further information
